If your main concern is affordability, the TCL S555 will be significantly less expensive and performs well overall, especially for movies and in dark rooms. However, if you don't mind paying more, the Vizio M-Series may offer slightly better sound quality and is also a good choice for movies, with its performance not too far behind the TCL in dark settings. Both TVs may not be the best option if you have a very bright room or need wide viewing angles. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the TCL S555 (LCD)
Good for bright room
Advantages of the Vizio M-Series (LCD)
The Vizio M-Series (LCD) has no clear advantages over the TCL S555 (LCD).
Key differences
News, Talk, & Other TV
7.0/10
7.6/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
5.4/10
UPSCALING
6.6/10
The Vizio M-Series (LCD) and TCL S555 (LCD) are both good for news, talk, & other TV, though the Vizio M-Series (LCD) is somewhat better.
The TCL S555 excels in upscaling and has very good SDR brightness, making it suitable for viewing regular TV programs and news where high-quality image upscaling is crucial. On the other hand, the Vizio M-Series also offers good performance for watching standard dynamic range content with decent SDR brightness and superior colors out of the box and color gamut, important for vibrant and true-to-life images.
Bright Room
7.3/10
6.6/10
5.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.0/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
7.0/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.8/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.6/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is good for bright room, while the Vizio M-Series (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL S555 is better suited for bright rooms as it exhibits higher SDR and HDR brightness, which helps maintain picture quality in well-lit conditions, whereas the Vizio M-Series has lower brightness levels that might not stand out as much in the same environment. Additionally, while both TVs have challenges with reflections, the TCL S555 has a slightly poorer performance in handling them compared to the Vizio M-Series, which can be a consideration if you have many light sources in your viewing room.
Cost
$600
$750
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The TCL S555 (LCD) has a price of $600 and the Vizio M-Series (LCD) costs $750.
The TCL S555 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) both have good picture quality.
Movies & TV
7.9/10
7.6/10
9.07/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
7.0/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.7/10
5.4/10
UPSCALING
6.6/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL S555 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) are both good for movies & TV.
The TCL S555 has excellent contrast and black uniformity, which are very important for a cinematic experience, and its local dimming feature supports this, though its viewing angles are limited. The Vizio M-Series, while slightly lower in contrast and black uniformity, performs well right out of the box with vibrant colors and has decent local dimming, but it also shares limited viewing angles.
Sports
6.3/10
6.2/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
5.4/10
UPSCALING
6.6/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL S555 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The TCL S555 and Vizio M-Series both have fair performance in motion processing and reflections handling, which can affect the clarity of fast-moving sports. They also have limited viewing angles, which means the picture quality may drop when viewed from the side, and their gray uniformity is somewhat important as it can affect the appearance of the playing field, but it is only fairly represented in both TVs.
Gaming
6.7/10
6.4/10
7.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.7/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
4.6/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
80.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
60.0/100
7.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.0/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) are both only fair for gaming.
The TCL S555 has a response time that is good for gaming, ensuring minimal blur, and it also boasts the best input lag, which is crucial for a responsive gaming experience. Meanwhile, the Vizio M-Series has fair response time, which is acceptable but not as smooth as the TCL for fast-moving scenes, and its input lag is very good, which is sufficiently low for gaming but not as instantaneous as the TCL.
Cartoons & Animation
8.4/10
8.3/10
7.4/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
8.1/10
7.3/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.8/10
8.5/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
8.6/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.3/10
6.4/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.8/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) and Vizio M-Series (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation.
The TCL S555 and Vizio M-Series both offer colors that pop right out of the box, making them suitable for the vibrant hues seen in cartoons and animation. The Vizio M-Series has a slightly better color gamut, which means it can display a wider range of colors, contributing to a more dynamic and compelling picture for animated content.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the TCL S555 (LCD) and the Vizio M-Series (LCD) compare to other TVs
"It looks great out of the box and the picture quality it is rock-solid for the price. (...) What really makes this a decent gaming TV, though, is the very low input lag. (...) But if you want to save a little money, the TCL S555 strikes a great balance between cost and performance – the kind of performance that’s impressive enough to deliver some wow to your eyes. (...)"
Get a great deal on the TCL S555 (LCD) or the Vizio M-Series (LCD)
About TCL
TCL, the highly recognizable TV brand from China, has firmly established itself as the second-largest manufacturer in terms of sales volume. Renowned for striking an impressive balance between affordability, picture quality, and design, TCL TVs deliver a compelling overall package. While they have traditionally excelled in the low-end and midrange TV segments, TCL has recently made remarkable strides in the realm of high-end televisions, introducing impressive models that rival top competitors. Most TCL TVs use Roku software which is very user friendly and easy to use, but they have a few other models that use Google TV which has the largest app selection, but is not as user friendly as Roku.
About Vizio
Vizio is an American company. While they initially gained recognition for offering budget-friendly TVs, they have successfully expanded their product lineup to include high-end options as well. They manufacture TVs primarily in Mexico, China, and Vietnam. Similar to many Korean TV brands, Vizio developed its own smart TV software called SmartCast. In the past, SmartCast was not the best smart TV software, but it has evolved so that it is now good for using your TV and connecting to streaming services.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
99,030
Recommendations made
14,855
Consumer hours saved
About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.